Separator.



PATBNTED DEC. l0, 1907) W. BAKER.

SEPARATOR. APPLIUATIONHLED MAY 28. 1e.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

nwe Ncmms PETERS co.. wAsHlNnroN. D. r:y

* No. 873,484. PATBNTBD DEG. 1o, 1907.-

- W. BAKER.

SEPARATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 2a. 19oe.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fue Noxms PETERS c.. wasnmcnm, n. c,

WILLIAM BAKER, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO.

SEPARATOR.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

`rimmed Dee. 1o, 1907.

Application filed May 28. 1906. Serial No. 319.109-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM BAKER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Separators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to certainnew and useful improvements in separators, land more particularly to that type known to the trade as an air flu separator.

The objectof this invention is to provide a separator of the above type, wherein novel means is employed for governing the quantity of material to be separated from a base product.

Another obj ect of this invention is to provide a novel form of separator wherein there is no waste, and all impurities are eliminated from the product or products being separated. 4

Briefly described, my improved separator consists of a horizontaltapering separating case; a fan for producing an air current, a rotary circulating agitator, or conveyer for spreading the material, and a cleaner for preventing any accumulation of the material'in the separating chamber. The material to be treated or separated is fed into a feedingchamber in the separating chamber through an ordinary spout and is then engaged by the circulating rotary agitator and thrown out into the separating chamber Where it is caught by the current of air and whirled or carried around in the 'separating chamber. In the separating chamber are mounted a plurality of rotary cleaning brushes, which are adapted to engage the sides of the separating chamber and prevent the material from accumulating therein. The material or stock which is to be separated consists of what is known to the trade as fine or sharpl stock and light stock. The finev or sharp stock is carried off from the separating chamber by a suitable spout and the light stock is driven through a suitable conveyer to a desired point at which it may be collected. To feed the "light stock I employa current of air which carries the light7 stock towards the small end of the separator where it is discharged. The current of air being freed from the dust, returns to the eye of the fan to be again used.

A particular feature of my improved separator resides in the wire drum which I employ as a sprayer or spreader for stock. By using this wire drum, I save all the small fine middlings for high grade iiour, and the flour, fluff andv impurities having been separated from the fine middlings, I am enabled to make a further separation of them putting the flour in the highest grade.

The construction entering into my improved separator together with the details thereof, willA be hereinafter more fully described'and then specifically pointed out in the claims, and referring to the drawing accompanying this' application, like numerals of reference `designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1n which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved separator; Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the same; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a novelform of device which I employ for cleansing the air conveyers; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a slide employed in connection with my improved machine; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of my improved separator, partly broken away; Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line x-x of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of a wire drum used in connection with my improved separator, and Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view of a plurality of pipes employed for conveying the air currents used in connection with my improved separator. F ig. 9 is a vertical longitudinal central section of the entire apparatus.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates a suitable rectangular frame work in which is mounted a horizontal tapering separating case 2 forming the separatingchamber. The smaller end of the case-2 is provided with a receptacle 3 which terminates in adown chute 4. Communicating centrally with the receptacle 3, is an air current conduit 5, which carries an elbow 6, to which a return conduit 7 is connected, that returns the air current passing through the conduit 5, to the eye o f a rotary fan 8, mounted at one side of the casing 2, and supported by the frame work 1. The rotary fan communicates with the top of the casing 2, by a blast pipe or conduit 9. The rotary fan or blower is of the ordinary type consisting of a central operating shaft 10, upon `which are mounted pulleys 11 and 12.

The casing 2, is provided with a discharge chute 14, with which communicates a return air conduit 15, that conveys air to `the eye of the rotary ian or blower 8. In the casing 2, is mounted a shaft 16, the one end of which protrudes through the front wall 17 of the casing 2, and is provided with a pulley 18. Motion is conveyed to the pulley 1S, by a belt 19, which passes over the pulley 11, of the fan 3. The opposite end of the shaft 16, terminates in the conduit 5. The front wall of the casing or'separating chamber is provided with a feed spout 2O. A suitable door 22, is employed to cover an ,opening 23, formed-in the front wall of the separating chamber, whereby access may be had 4to the interior of the casing 2.

The reference numeral 24 designates a cas-v ing or drum which comprises a rear wall, line wire mesh sides 26, which are supported by transverse strips 27, that are secured to the inner face of the iront wall 17, of the separating chamber 2, as indicated at 28. This drum forms a feeding-chamber within which the material is received from the spout 20, and wherein it is agitated and cirulated to deliver it to the .circulating-cham- A portion of the periphery of the rear wall 25 is provided with angle-irons 29, 29, in which is mounted a substantially semi-circular slidel 30, which is provided with a suitable handle 31. The one end of the slide 30 is bent outwardly at an angle corresponding to the radius at which the semi-circular slide is described, and this end of the slide is provided with a plurality of openings 32, which are sheared or stamped, and the vsheared or stamped material is bent outwardly at right angles forming deiiectors 33. (See Figs. 4, 6 and 7.)

rlhe purpose of the openings 32 in the end of the-slide 30, is to permit of the passage of air and of the material propelled thereby, and the dellectors 33, are provided to catch the material which is carried through the openings 32 and prevent its returning through the openings.

The shaft 16, extends through the drum 24, and is provided with a plurality of brushes 34, which act to circulate the material, and which are mounted upon the shaft and are adapted to contact with' the inner sides of the material in drum 24 when the shaft revolves and agitate the drum. The shaft is also provided with a plurality of cleaners, herein shown in the form of brushes 35 which are adapted to clean the sides of the separator chamber and prevent thel stock from accumulating therein. The reference numeral 36 designates a substantially coneshaped hood which is mounted upon the shaft 16 in front of the air conduit 5, whereby the stock which has been separated will be deflected 'from the end of' the air conduit into the annular receptacle 3 from where it is discharged into the down chute 4.

Reference will now be had to Figs. 3 and 8 wherein I have illustrated a particular 'Fiature of my invention for cleaning the air conduit pipes and preventing any dust o1 ingredients from settling therein. Heretofore considerable trouble has been experienced in machines oi' this type by the dust and ingredients settling in the conduits and clogging them to such an extent that only a small quantity of air is permitted to pass through the conduit, To clean. the conduits 5, 6 and 7 illustrated in the accompanying drawing, 'lV make use of the end oi* the shaft 16, which protrudes into the conduit 5. '.lo this end lA have provided the conduits 5 and 7 and the elbow 6, with cross arms 37, in which are journaled stub shafts 33 and to the ends oll these stub shafts l attach cross bars 29. Between the ends of the stub shal 3S, and the ends of the operating sha'lt 10, and the shalt 16, I mount springs 40, and between the ends of the cross bars 39, l. connect light wires or cords 41.

Operation: Vile will assume that the stock to be separated has been placed in the spout 2() and deposited into thc feed-clnimlwr formed by drum 24, and upon the `lan or blower 8 being placed in operation a rotary motion is imparted to the shaft 16. 'lhe brushes 34 will agitato the stock and force the same through the 'line wire mesh 29 into the separating chamber, and in'the rear olI the outwardly bent end of the slide 30. 'lhe material falling upon the slide 3() will be caught on the deilectors 33, and will pour over the edges o'l the same. rlhe air coming through the openings 32 will strike the material as it pours over the edges o'l" the d el lcctors and a portion of the air will be diverted sidewise by the suction in the conduit 5, while the balance oi' the current of the air will continue in its circular course around the drum carrying with it the light material until it meets the main current of' air coming in through conduit 9, and by this action ol the air current the line or sharp stock will be gradually conveyed to the discharge spout 14, and the light material or stock l'ollows the current of air towards the small end ol' the separating chamber, -from whcrc it is conveyed into the discharge chute 4. ln separating the products from the stock, the amount of products realized. depends upon the amount of agitation and air to which the stock is subjected, and to regulate and govern the amount of iine stock to be divided o1' separated from the sharp7 stock, l have. provided the slide 30, which is manipulat ed by the handle 31, access being had to said handle through the opening 23. 'lo clearly illustrate the manner in which the slide may be manipulated to accomplish the above purpose, reference will be had to Fig. 6 ol' the drawing, wherein the air currents are indicated by arrows. The brushes 34 are rcvolving in the direction ol` the arrow indicated within the drum 24, and before the stock can be driven without the drum 24 it is necessary that. it be carried upwardly to a place not surrounded by the slide 30, and upon the stock passing through the drum the current of air drives the same upwardly towards the top of the casing, where the main current of air carries the stock around the casing to the discharge spout 14, and should the air pass down this spout the same will be returned to the eye of the blower or fan 8, through the conduit 15, and what air passes over discharge spout 14, passes through the openings 32 of the slide. This current of air carries the stock that is discharged from the feeding-chamber of the drum to the upper part of the separating chamber where it encounters the main current of air and is deflected downwardly upon the opposite side of the separating chamber as above described. During this operation, it has been found that a considerable amount of dust and fine stock or material is carried into the conduits 5, 6 and 7, and for this reason I have provided the novel cleansing mechanism heretofore described. When the shaft 16 rotates, the springs 40 will revolve imparting a rotary movement to the stub shafts 38, carrying cross-bars 39, and the fine wires orcords 41 carried by the ends of these cross-bars will describe a circle within the conduits 5, 6 and 7. The path of travel of these wires or cords varies owing to the wires being of the same length and the distance between two of the ends of the cross-bars 39 is shorter than the opposite ends of the bars, the cord or wire between these ends will have considerable play, which is necessary in order that the crossarms carrying the cords or wires may rotate. By the rotationof the springs 40, and the wires or cords 41, together with the crosswires 39, it will be impossible for any dust or fine stock or the like ingredients to accumulate within the conduits 5, 6 and 7, and should any dust enter said conduits, it will be conveyed by the current of air to the fan or blower and can 'discharge into the separating chamber or casing 2. v

It is of course, obvious that only a portion of the air current will pass through the openings 32 in the bent end of the slide 30, and this current of air will diminish in force as it approaches the main current of air coming through the conduit 9, and vaccordingly the amount of line or sharp stock which will be carried upwardly within the range of the incoming current of air coming through the conduit 9, will be dependent upon the position of the bent end of the slide 30, and by moving the slide so as to bring the bent end closer to or further from the discharge spout 14, the amount of fine or sharp stock that will be eventually delivered to the discharge spout can be nicely regulated.

While I have herein illustrated the preferred manner of constructing my improved separator and described the use to which it may be applied, I do not care to limit myself to the character of the material that is to be separated as the same may be used for separating numerous materials/ It will be noted that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a separator of the classy described, the combination of a foraminated casing, rotary brushes arranged within the casing with a movable slide covering a portion of the wall of the casing and adjustable around the casing, said slide having a laterally extending end with openings therethrough.

2. In a separator of the type described,l

the combination of a casing having foraminated Walls, an inlet at one end and brushes revolubly mounted within the casing with a curved slide covering a portion of the periphery of the casing and adjustable in posi tion relatively to the periphery of the casing, said slide having a bent end with openings therethrough.

3. In a separator of the type described, the combination of a separating chamber, a casing having foraminated walls mounted in said chamber, brushes revolubly mounted within the casing, a curved slide covering a portion of the periphery of the casing and adjustable in position relatively to the periphery of the casing, said slide having a bent end with openings therethrough, said bent end carrying deiiectors disposed over said openings.

4. In a separator of the type described, the combination with a separating chamber,

a perforated casing mounted Within said I chamber and having an inlet in its end, rotary brushes mounted within said casing, a slide partlysurrounding the casing and movable around the periphery thereof, said slide having a radially extending end with openings therethrough, and defiectors above said openings, of means for forcing air around said casing and through said openings.

5. In a separator of the type described, the combination with a separating chamber, and a foraminated casing mounted in said chamber, rotary brushes mounted in said casing, means for circulating air around the casing, said chamber having a discharge spout located beneath the casing and a second discharge spout located in the rear of the casing, of a slide covering a portion of the peripheryof the casing and movable relatively thereto in a circular path, `said slide having one end bent radially` to the casing and formed with openings and rotary brushes mounted Within the separating chamber laterally of said casing.

6. In a separator of the type described, the combination with a fan, of a separating chamber, a casing mounted in said separating chamber, a discharge spout leading from said chamber, an air supply conduit communicating with said separating chamber, a return air conduit connecting the discharge spout with the eye of the fan, a return air conduit connecting the said chamber with the eye of the fan, means to operate the fan, a rotary shaft mounted in the last named return air conduit, and means carried by said rotary shaft to clean said last named conduit.

7. The combination with a separator comprising a separating chamber having two outlet spouts and a blower, of two air return conduits leading respectively from they two outlet spouts to said blower, and from said chamber to the blower, a shaft mounted in one of said air return conduits, loose cords mounted on said shaft for clearing the conduit of accumulating material and means for rotating said shaft'.

S. The combination with a separator of the type described, of a separating chamber, a casing mounted in said separating chamber, agitating means mounted in said casing, agitating means mounted in said chamber, and adapted to initially receive the material to be separated, means whereby the point of discharge of the material from said casing can be varied, a blower, an air conduit, a flexible rotary shaft mounted in said conduit, means carried by said flexible shaft for cleaning said conduit, and means to simultaneously actuate said agitating means, said blower and said rotary shaft, substantially as described.

9. In a separator of the type described, a tapering separating-chamber having near its small end an outlet for the light or fine particles and near its large end any outlet for the heavy or coarse particles, a circulatingfan arranged outside said chamber and having its blast orifice arranged to deliver the air-current into the chamber near the large end and produce a whirling air-current therein, means for conducting the air-current from the linterior of the separatingchamber to the circulating-fan, a material receiving and circulating member for feeding the material to be separated into the aircurrent delivered to the separating-chamber by the circulating-fan, means whereby the point of discharge of the material from said material receiving and circulating member can be varied with respect to the blast orifice and means for feeding the material to be separated to said member.

l0. Ina separator of the t-ype described, a tapering separating-chamber having near its ends outlets for the separated materials, a circulating-fan arranged outside the chamber and having its blast orifice connected With the large end thereof to produce a circulating air-current therein, means for conducting the air-current from the interior of the separating-chamber to the circulatingfan, a circulating-agitator arranged at the large end of said chamber and having the peripheral wall of its case provided with a discharge-opening from which the air-eurrent laden with material to be separated is delivered into. the circulating air-curremv, and means for feeding the material to be, separated directly into the wasing ol" said circulating-agitator.

l1. A machine of the character described, comprising a separating chamber having an outlet at each end, acirculating fan arranged exteriorly of said. chamber and having its blast pipe delivering the air current into said chamber near one end and thereby producing a whirling air current, a casing arranged at that end of the chamber into which opens the blast pipe and adapted to initially receive the material to be separated, means for establishing communication between the. other end of the said chamber and the fan, and means whereby the point of discharge of the material from said. casing can be adjusted towards or from the blast pipe.

12. A machine of the character described, comprising an imperforate tapering separating chamber having near its small end an outlet for the light or `line particles and near its large end an outlet for the heavy or coarse particles, a circulating fan arrai'iged. exteriorly of said chamber and having its blast pipe positioned to deliver the air current into said chamber near the larger end. and thereby produce a whirling` air current, means for conducting the air current from the interior of the separating chamber, to the circulating fan, a rotatalde shaft arranged in said chamber, a rotatable agitating element carried by the shaft, a casing arranged within said chamber at the large end thereof and adapted to initially receive the material to be separated, a rotatable agitating element positioned. within said casing and mounted. upon said shaft, andv means whereby the point of (.lischarge of material from said easing can be adjusted toward and from said. blast pipe.

13. A machine of the charm-,ter described, comprising an imperforatc tapering separating chamber .having near its small end an outlet for the light or fine particles and near its large end an outlet for the heavy or coarse particles, a circulating fan arranged exteriorly of said. chamber andv having its blast pipe to deliver the air current into said chamber near the large end thereof thereby producing a whirling air current, means communicating with the small end of the chamber and with the circulating l`an for conducting the air current from the chamber to the fan, means comnmnicating with. the outlet at the large end of said chamber and with the fan for conducting an air current from the chamber to the ian, a rotatable shaft arranged in said chamber, a rotatable air agitating element carried by the shaft, a casing arranged at the large end of the chamber and'adapted to initially receive the material to be separated, a rotatable agitating element positioned within said casing and mounted upon said shaft, and means whereby the discharge of material from said casing can be adjusted towards and from said blast pipe.

14. A machine of the character described comprising an imperforate tapering separating chamber having near its small end an outlet for the light or iine particles and near its large end an outlet for the heavy or coarse particles, a circulating fan arranged eXteriorly of said chamber and having its blast pipe to deliver the air current into said chamber near the large end thereof thereby producing a whirling air current, means communicating with the small end of the chamber and with the circulating fan for conducting the air current from the chamber to the fan, means communicating with the outlet at the large end of said chamber and with the fan for conducting an air current from the chamber to the ian, a rotatable shaft arranged in said chamber, a rotatable air agitating element carried. by the shaft, a casing arranged at the large end of the chamber and adapted Ato initially receive the material to be separated, a rotatable agitating element positioned within said casing and mounted upon said shaft, means whereby the discharge of material from said casing can be adjusted towards and from said blast pipe, and a deflector mounted upon said shaft and positioned at the smaller end of said chamber in advance of said means for conducting the air current from the chamber to the fan. i

15. A machine of the character described comprising a separating chamber having an outlet at each end, a circulating fan arranged eXteriorly of said chamber and having its blast pipe delivering the air current into said chamber near one end and thereby producing a whirling air current, a casing arranged at that end of the chamber into which opens the blast pipe and adapted to initially receive the material to be separated,

a conduit for establishing communication between the other end of the said chamber and the fan, means whereby the point of discharge of the material from said casing can be adjusted towards or from the blast pipe, and rotatable means within the conduit for preventing dust or other matter from settling within the conduit.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twoI witnesses.

WILLIAM BAKER.

Witnesses.

BERTHA R. MILLER,

A. E. BURK'Y. 

